Before and After clutch/brake fluid pix - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

blufin · 11-27-2011, 01:12 PM

So I've been having the clutch issues that so many of us have been dealing with. My problem has gotten progressively worse over the past year. It happens mostly at the strip when I'm hard shifting at redline. I try to pull 2nd gear and I get a nasty grinding and it won't go into gear. Other times the clutch pedal will stick to the floor or halfway up and not come up till I put my foot under the clutch pedal and pull it back up. My car has 15k miles on it and about 150 passes at the dragstrip.
So I took the advise from Ranger and changed my brake/clutch fluid. Wow! I had no idea how bad it was. It only took 10 minutes to complete, and cost about $8 for the brake fluid.
Here are the before and after pictures of the fluid. Let's just hope this fixes my problems.

DandD · 11-27-2011, 01:22 PM

Keep us updated here as to if this helps with your problem or not. I just started taking my car to the track late this summer, but plan on a full year at the track next year. I am going to the separate clutch fluid reservoir myself. I bought my car used at the end of August and when I checked the brake fluid before parking the car in the beginning of November, it was nasty looking, not quite as nasty as the pic of yours in the syringe, but not clear at all. BTW nice time for Bone Stock, was that on stock tires or drag radials?

Dan

blufin · 11-27-2011, 01:38 PM

Stock pirelli's at 32 lbs.

csjcsj · 11-27-2011, 02:29 PM

Just curious how do you change/bleed the clutch?

blufin · 11-27-2011, 04:44 PM

I initially found out about changing the brake fluid/clutch fluid by reading various threads in this forum. The best one I saw was by Ranger. He is very well known for his drag racing tips for a manual car, but I also found his clutch tutorial very imformative. Attached is a link to his site, where he outlines the clutch care tips.

Basically I followed what he said. I used a syringe and small piece of rubber tubing to suck out the fluid from the resevoir. The resevoir is chambered and you cannot stick the syringe all the way in due to the baffles. There isn't enough taken out that it causes the brake/clutch lines to go dry, just enough to get the old stuff out. I then filled the resevoir and pumped the clutch 30-40 times and repeated till it was clean.

Try this link for a video outlining the process. Ranger is using a Vette, but the process is the same with Camaro and the brake/clutch resevoir.

http://www.rangeracceleration.com/Clutch_Care.html

Big Daddy Kane · 11-27-2011, 08:39 PM

I'm making this a habit to do every time I change the oil.

55Designs · 11-27-2011, 08:55 PM

Look into a Motive Power Bleeder they work great. Just used one last week on the Camaro

11-27-2011, 01:12 PM	#1
blufin Drives: Fire Engine Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: WPB, Florida Posts: 1,415	Before and After clutch/brake fluid pix So I've been having the clutch issues that so many of us have been dealing with. My problem has gotten progressively worse over the past year. It happens mostly at the strip when I'm hard shifting at redline. I try to pull 2nd gear and I get a nasty grinding and it won't go into gear. Other times the clutch pedal will stick to the floor or halfway up and not come up till I put my foot under the clutch pedal and pull it back up. My car has 15k miles on it and about 150 passes at the dragstrip. So I took the advise from Ranger and changed my brake/clutch fluid. Wow! I had no idea how bad it was. It only took 10 minutes to complete, and cost about $8 for the brake fluid. Here are the before and after pictures of the fluid. Let's just hope this fixes my problems. Attached Images __________________ 12.618 @ 110.75 Bone Stock 1/4 mile 8.165 @ 86.52 Bone Stock 1/8 mile 11.189 @ 124.44 on a 1.73 60' TVS2300 3.4 pulley, JRE tuned, Kooks LT headers and HF cats, MBRP catback exhaust, CAI intake, ADM scoop. Stock wheels/tires. Sold

11-27-2011, 01:22 PM	#2
DandD Drives: 2010 2SS and 2011 LS Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western burbs of the Motor City Posts: 628 View My Garage	Keep us updated here as to if this helps with your problem or not. I just started taking my car to the track late this summer, but plan on a full year at the track next year. I am going to the separate clutch fluid reservoir myself. I bought my car used at the end of August and when I checked the brake fluid before parking the car in the beginning of November, it was nasty looking, not quite as nasty as the pic of yours in the syringe, but not clear at all. BTW nice time for Bone Stock, was that on stock tires or drag radials? Dan __________________ Around here we like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet

11-27-2011, 01:38 PM	#3
blufin Drives: Fire Engine Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: WPB, Florida Posts: 1,415	Stock pirelli's at 32 lbs. __________________ 12.618 @ 110.75 Bone Stock 1/4 mile 8.165 @ 86.52 Bone Stock 1/8 mile 11.189 @ 124.44 on a 1.73 60' TVS2300 3.4 pulley, JRE tuned, Kooks LT headers and HF cats, MBRP catback exhaust, CAI intake, ADM scoop. Stock wheels/tires. Sold

11-27-2011, 02:29 PM	#4
csjcsj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS 6spd Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jefferson, Ga Posts: 4,399 View My Garage	Just curious how do you change/bleed the clutch? __________________

11-27-2011, 04:44 PM	#5
blufin Drives: Fire Engine Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: WPB, Florida Posts: 1,415	I initially found out about changing the brake fluid/clutch fluid by reading various threads in this forum. The best one I saw was by Ranger. He is very well known for his drag racing tips for a manual car, but I also found his clutch tutorial very imformative. Attached is a link to his site, where he outlines the clutch care tips. Basically I followed what he said. I used a syringe and small piece of rubber tubing to suck out the fluid from the resevoir. The resevoir is chambered and you cannot stick the syringe all the way in due to the baffles. There isn't enough taken out that it causes the brake/clutch lines to go dry, just enough to get the old stuff out. I then filled the resevoir and pumped the clutch 30-40 times and repeated till it was clean. Try this link for a video outlining the process. Ranger is using a Vette, but the process is the same with Camaro and the brake/clutch resevoir. http://www.rangeracceleration.com/Clutch_Care.html __________________ 12.618 @ 110.75 Bone Stock 1/4 mile 8.165 @ 86.52 Bone Stock 1/8 mile 11.189 @ 124.44 on a 1.73 60' TVS2300 3.4 pulley, JRE tuned, Kooks LT headers and HF cats, MBRP catback exhaust, CAI intake, ADM scoop. Stock wheels/tires. Sold

11-27-2011, 08:39 PM	#6
Big Daddy Kane Drives: Red 1SS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bethel Park, PA Posts: 195	I'm making this a habit to do every time I change the oil. __________________ Kooks LT Headers/catback exhaust, E-force supercharger, JRE fuel line upgrade, JRE differential, 3.91 LPE gears, Roto-fab intake, JRE tune, DSS Carbon Fiber driveshaft, MGW shifter, Hotchkis chassis braces

11-27-2011, 08:55 PM	#7
55Designs Drives: 2010 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Westchester NY Posts: 990	Look into a Motive Power Bleeder they work great. Just used one last week on the Camaro